Marriage By Contract
by Klaus-Caroline-Addict
Summary: Elena Gilbert is the daughter of one of the wealthiest families in Mystic Falls. Grayson Gilbert wants to merge companies with Giuseppe Salvatore and so agrees to join together through the marriage of Elena and Giuseppe's son Damon
1. Chapter 1 the discussion

My Name is Elena Gilbert and this is the beginning of the rest of my life. . .

"Elena can you come in here!" my father, Grayson, called from his study just as I was walking out the door.

I sigh and turn around walking over to him "yes daddy?" Out of my two parents my father and I have the best relationship, when he's around at least; he spends a lot of time working. My family is the second wealthiest in Mystic Falls the fist being the Salvatore's. Giuseppe Salvatore and his son Damon are the only two remaining Salvatore's ever since the Death of Damon's mother 9 years ago.

"Come sit down, there's something we need to discus."

"Can we talk later? I was just going to meet Stefan and Bonnie at the Grill." Stephan is my boyfriend and Bonnie is my very best friend.

"I'm afraid not, now please sit." he says in his commanding tone and I know im not getting out of this.

I sit down and wait for him to start talking, after a few minutes of us just staring at each other he finally begins.

"As you know, we are trying to merge with Salvatore logging..."

"What's this got to do with me" I interrupt suddenly not understanding why he was telling me this.

"Just listen, Giuseppe Salvatore has agreed to join companies with Gilbert Industries, but he wants a more binding agreement. That's where you come in Elena."

"What do you mean?" I ask afraid that I already know the answerer but don't want to believe that.

"We have decided to join together by marriage. You, Elena, will be marrying Damon Salvatore..."


	2. Chapter 2 telling stefan

I sit there completely shocked by what my father has just said you, Elena, will be marrying Damon Salvatore. The words were on repeat inside my head, over and over again. I can't marry Damon Salvatore I don't even know him, he's a complete player and I don't want to marry someone I don't love much less know and who probably wont be faithful to me.

"No" I say, "I won't do it"

My father sighs, "Elena..." but I don't let him finish.

"How could you do this to me, I refuse to be a pawn and I won't marry Him."

"oh yes you will" Elena's mother, Miranda, says coming into the room, "Elena the company is going down, if we don't join companies we will lose everything, do you want that? Do you want to be the reason that we become destitute?"

My eye widen at that, I knew we were having trouble but I didn't know that we were going under. I don't want to do it but I can't let my family lose everything, if I have a chance to save them then what other choice do I have but to agree.

"no there's got to be another way anything but that, please don't make me do this please." i plead

"Elena honey if there was another way to go about this i would take it, but you have to do this, for me and your mother, for Jeremy." my older brothers name hits hard, i love my brother more than anyone, he's my best friend and i would do anything for him. i know what my father meant, if the company went under then we wouldn't have money for Jeremy to go to college and he would have to quit. i couldn't do that to him.

"There's no other way?" I ask with tears in my eyes my father looks pained, my mother smug. Oh how i wish i could slap that smirk off her face. they don't have to reply, i know "OK, I'll do it" i say simply and walk out the door to go meet my friends.

I reach the Grill, the local bar and hang out. As soon as i walk in i spot them, Stefan, Bonnie, Caroline, Tyler, and Matt, at our usual table. Walking over i suddenly realize that I'm going to have to tell Stefan and break up with him. We've been dating for almost a year and i know he's going to take it hard, i know he's in love with me and i like him but i don't love him back.

I sit down and tell them all hey.  
"hay babe, what took you so long to get here?" Stefan asks as he leans over to give me a kiss, i turn my head at the last minute and he kisses my cheek. he pulls back looking at me oddly but grabs my hand holding it, i don't want to tell him here in front of everyone so i pretend everything is alright. We sit and talk forever till Caroline says:

"Have any of you guys seen Damon Salvatore since he got back?" he had been in Italy living with family since his mother died.

"Yeah, He was in here with his dad this Morning." Matt says, "they looked like they were fighting though then Damon just stormed out."

"What do you think they were talking about?" Bonnie asks

"i don't know all i heard was something about a contract and marriage, i didn't care enough to eavesdrop." Matt replies

_**They were talking about me**_ i think

"well anyway, he is super hot. i sure wouldn't mind getting to know him better" Caroline says suggestively and for some reason I want to tell her to back off. i don't know why, i haven't even met him yet.

"Elena are you ok? You're squeezing my hand." Stefan says from beside me. i loosen my grip immediately.

"Yeah, sorry just having a stressful day, listen i need to talk to you." i say getting up and hugging everyone telling them bye. Stefan walks me outside to my car.

"So what do you want to talk about?" he asks casually completely unaware that im about to break his heart. i take a deep breath and decide to just blurt it out.

"Stefan I'm getting married"


	3. Chapter 3 My savior

I stand there watching the casual look on Stefan's face change to one of confusion.

"What are you talking about, you're getting married? To whom?" he asks

"Damon Salvatore, my father has signed a contract with his for it" i tell him

He stands there for a minute not saying anything to me, just staring at the ground. When he finally looks up at me he has a hopeful smile on his face, "Run away with me." he says simply. i think about it for a minute but the idea doesn't even appeal to me. Im not in love with him, i can't run with him.

"I... I can't" i say and watch his face change again from the hope to sadness and then anger.

"WELL WHY THE HELL NOT" he yells at me and im taken aback, we've had arguments but he's never yelled at me before.

"I just cant ok, i know you're in love and im sorry i love you but im not in love with you and i cant run away with you. Besides my family needs me." i say and i can tell he's furious at me.

"You're not in love with me? Well what the hell. Did i waste almost a year with you for nothing?" people are staring at us as they walk by while he yells at me.

"Stefan please calm down people are staring." i plead with him

He laughs at me, "oh I'm sorry am i embarrassing you? Tell me something, was this your plan the whole time, to just string me along till you were tired of me then just let me go? God 10 months with you and i didn't even get any! You were nothing but a waste of time."

I'm hurt by the things i say but then i start to get angry. "You ass, how dare you talk to me like that. Where do you get off say those things to me? You know i sure as hell am glad i sleep with you now." i see the change in his face immediately and I'm a little frightened by it. He grabs my arm and roughly and starts to shake me.

"You little bitch, where do i get off? Where do I get off? You're the one marrying some random dude you haven't even met and dumping you boyfriend for him and you're calling me an ass."

My arm is starting to go numb in his grip "Stefan you're hurting Me." i say and i can hear the desperation in my voice.

"Is there a problem here?" a voice says from behind me and right at this moment i could kiss his feet for coming when he did.  
"Mind your own business." Stephan snarls at the voice

"i don't think i will, in fact I've got a better idea why i introduce your face to my fist, the lady said you were hurting her so i suggest you let go and get lost." the voice replies and i hear Stephan growl before releasing me.

"You're not worth it anyway bitch." He says before leaving.

Walking on shaky legs i turn around to face my savior and my eyes collide with the most beautiful blue eyes i have seen and i find it hard to look away, i think i should change my favorite color to this perfect blue. Somehow i manage to tear my gaze away and decide to look at the rest of this sexy specimen. Hair as black as ravens wings, damn he has thicker eyelashes than i do, perfectly kissable lips, and oh the body of a God wrapped completely in everything black; black shirt, black pants, and a black leather jacket.

"Are you OK?" he asks in that deep man boy voice, i can't speak so i just nod. He smirks at me obviously knowing that i was just checking him out.

When i finally find my voice i decide i should probably that him, "uh, thank you for that."

"Sure no problem." he says and we just end up staring at each other for a few minutes.

"I, uh... i should probably get home. Thanks again." i say walking towards my car

"Anytime" he calls back then begins to walk away. I get in my car and drive home.

When i finally reach my house i relies that i didn't even find out his name._** It's not like it matters, I'm getting married and I'll probably never see him again... unfortunately**_


	4. Chapter 4 We meet at last

It's been three days since I told Stefan, since then I have also told Bonnie and Caroline. They didn't judge or yell at me, they just held and comforted me while i cried and told them everything from the meeting with my parents to Stephan yelling at me. i didn't tell them about the stranger i met, i felt like that was a moment just for me and i didn't want anyone to know about it.

As soon as i had walked in the door after breaking up with Stefan, my mother came and told me that we were going to dinner the Salvatore's Sunday night. That was three days ago... So here i am, getting ready to meet my future husband for the first time, it all seems so surreal that this is happening. i feel the tears forming in my eyes but i push them back down, i refuse to cry.

I look at the time and see i have exactly one hour to finish getting ready so i go put my dress on, i had decided to wear a red dress with one sleeve and ended at mid thigh, i have my brown hair in ringlets with half of them pulled back. i have very little makeup on, just the basics: eyeliner, mascara, and a nude lip gloss.

Just as I'm slipping into my shoes there's a knock on my door. Without wait for permission my mother walks in with a huge smile her face. "It's time to go Elena" i nod not saying anything and walking downstairs where my father is waiting for us,

"you look lovely darling." my father tells me.

"Thank you daddy." i say with a small smile.

The car ride to the restaurant is uncomfortably silent so i let my thoughts drift to Damon Salvatore. _**I wonder what's he like, is he nice? Will he like me? What if he's a jerk, what if he's cruel to me?**_ all these thought running through my mind. i didn't even notice when we arrived until my parents started getting out of the car, and i suddenly felt ill. i can't do this, it's not right, i should be able to marry for love. _**But what about Jeremy and my mom and dad, they needed me, they're depending on me.**__**i couldn't let them down, i couldn't be the reason that we lost everything. I wouldn't.**_

We go into the restaurant and my parents walk right over to a table where two men are sitting, i recognize Giuseppe Salvatore, so the other man must be my fiance. _**Oh God!**_I couldn't see Damon's face since he was facing away from us. i immediately realize that my hands are shaking.

"Hello Grayson, Miranda. So glad you could join us" Mr. Salvatore says as he gets up shaking my father's hand. "Elena you look beautiful" he says turning to me.

"Thank you Mr. Salvatore" i say softly and watch as Damon goes rigid in his chair.  
"Oh please call me Giuseppe, Elena" i smile sweetly at him. "Let me introduce you to my son Damon" he says as Damon stands and turns towards me, i can't do anything but stand there in shock. It's him, my savior...

"It's very nice to finally meet you Elena" Damon says snapping me out of my shock, i can't tell if he is surprised by this turn of events and begin to wonder if he even remembers me.

i smile "it's nice to meet you too Damon." i say

Damon pulls out my chair for me and i take my seat in between him and my mother.

"So Elena how is school going, you're a senior this year, yes?" Giuseppe asks me.

"Yes sir, its fine, I'm doing quite well thank you."

"Oh do not be modest Elena" Miranda butts in, "She's extremely smart, all AP classes and many extracurricular activities. She'll be graduating in a few months and has already been accepted into several colleges."

"What do you want to major in when you get to college?" Damon asks curiously

"Journalism" Elena says with a bright smile on her face, her smile is infectious causing Damon to smile back at her. _**Oh My God, He's Beautiful.**_

"Elena, we've talked about this." her mother says reminding her of the conversation they had yesterday about a wife's duty to take care of the house, her mother explaining that she would have to give up her dream of writing. The light leaves Elena's eyes and nods solemnly. She doesn't want to discus this so she decides to get the conversation off of her

"What about you Damon, what do you want to do?" I ask, he opens his mouth to answer when his father interrupts, "He's going to run Salvatore Logging of corse."

I watch Damon's lips compress and he sighs irritated, i give him a look that i completely understand and he gives me a small smile in return.

Then the wedding talk begins.

Damon and i sit there for an hour while our parents discuses everything from the contract to the engagement to the wedding and i suddenly relies that me and Damon have no say in any of it.

I'm starting to get bored so i look over at Damon and he has the same bored look as me, so i decide i try and get him to laugh. i look over and catch his eye, and when he's finally looking at me i give him the funniest face i can think of. I can tell I've shocked him but then he's laughing and has everyone at the table looking at us.

"Damon, do you find something funny?" Giuseppe asks

"You two should be paying attention to this; it is after all your wedding." My mother adds.

We turn and look at each other but can't resist and are both suddenly laughing at the whole thing.

My father gives me his LOOK and i shut up immediately bowing my head down. Damon notices this and becomes quiet also, everyone gets back to wedding planning and they all decide that Damon and I will go ring shopping tomorrow.

The night finally comes to an end and we all walk out together about to get into our cars.

"I had a lovely evening tonight Elena, until tomorrow" Damon says taking my hand and kissing it, and then looks up at me, smirks and whispers, " it was nice to see you again" i smile at him, get into my parent's car and drive off. _**He remembered me!**_ i don't even notice the grin that stays on my face the whole way home. _**I can't wait till tomorrow. **_

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_**Thanks everyone for the good reviews, this is my first story so bare with me here lol.  
**_


	5. Chapter 5 leftover pizza and proposing

The first thing I woke up to this morning was my mother barging into my room, again uninvited, and heading straight into my closet. i looked over at the digital clock on my bedside table, the time was 8:18 and i just wanted to go back to sleep.

"Mom, what are you doing?" i ask confused and still half asleep.

"Oh honey did you forget? You're going ring shopping with Damon today." she replies, her voice muffled through the closet door.

"No i didn't forget i just... mom i think it's time for you to come out of the closet." i snicker at my own joke as mom walks out obviously not amused. "i didn't forget i was just wondering what you were doing in my room, in my closet?"

"I was picking your clothes out for you of Corse." she answers haughtily

"Ugh! Mom i CAN pick out my own clothes." i tell her aggravated, "God! not only am i having to marry someone i don't love but i can't plan my own wedding, or my engagement party, I'm surprised you're letting me pick out my own ring, and now i can't even pick out my own clothes! Seriously this is ridiculous, and I'm sick of it!"

The shock over my outburst is written all over mother's face. "Elena, i didn't know you felt like that, if you want to plan the wedding and all that other stuff you can. i just didn't expect you to want to because you were opposed to this marriage from the beginning. I'm sorry i haven't taken your feelings into consideration."

I let out a breath i didn't realize i had been holding. "OK, I'm sorry i blew up like that, it's just i feel like since i agreed to this i haven't made one decision of my own."

"That's ok honey, i understand. Now go get ready, Damon should be here in an hour or so, oh and your father and i are about to leave to go meet Giuseppe so we'll see you later this evening." she walks out of the room and closed the door behind her while i went to the closet to get ready, and forty-five minutes later i was ready and heading downstairs to get something to eat before Damon came to pick me up.

Just as the ding went off on the microwave and i pulled out my reheated pizza the doorbell rang, I got up and walked over to the door to open it. Thinking it was Damon and he was here to pick me up i didn't bother asking who it was or looking in the peep hole, and on the other side of the door was the last person i thought would show up on my door step. Stefan...

"Stefan! What are you doing here?" i ask completely shocked as he saunters into my house with a smug look on his face.

"i came to give you a second chance." he replies with an annoying little smirk on his face and i suddenly have this urge to just punch him right in the mouth.

"Stefan listen, thanks and all for the second chance but i really don't want it. So you can, uh, leave now." i say pointing to the door that i just realized i had left ajar.

i look back over to his face and see that the cocky smirk he had been wearing since he had entered the house was gone _**Good**_.

He was glaring at me now, his face mere inches from mine about to say something offensive and rude when someone knocked on the door and walked in. "Hello? Elena? Are you here?" oh thank God, it was Damon.

"Yeah, I'm in here" i called from where Stefan and i stood in the hall way.

"Hey, you ready to..." he stopped talking as soon as he spotted me and Stefan in the hall.

"What the hell Elena! Who the heck is this?" Stefan asked outraged.

"Elena is everything ok here?" Damon asked me with a concerned look on his face.

"Everything's fine Damon, Stefan was just leaving." i reply calmly giving Stefan the best 'get the hell out of my house' look i could muster. He obviously didn't understand the look.

"Damon? As in Damon Salvatore?" Stefan asked focusing his attention on Damon.

"That would be me." Damon replied calmly

"This is the guy you're marrying? This is the guy you dumped me for? HIM? Oh you've got to be kidding me Elena; you can't honestly be that stupid. Look just come with me, this is my final offer." Stefan says to her completely ignoring Damon

"ok so let me get this straight; first you ask me to get back with you then you yell at me, call me stupid and now you want me to go with you, you know what you can do Stefan? You can take your offer and shove it! Now please leave." i state calmly.

Stefan looks like he's about to blow up, "Listen you little..."

"I'm pretty sure i just heard her ask you to leave so why don't you go ahead and leave." Damon all but growls at Stefan walking up to him and putting his hand on Stefan's shoulder pushing him out the door and slamming it in his face.

"We've really got to stop meeting like this" Damon jokes making me laugh.

"Ha-ha, you think?" i smirk at him, "come on in, you hungry?" i ask making my way back into the kitchen and my once again cold pizza.

"Sure, you got anymore pizza?" he asks looking at the pizza on the counter while he stands in the doorway looking completely awkward.

"Yep, come sit down I'll fix you a plate." I get up and put some pizza on a plate and stick it in the microwave to heat up. "so thanks for coming to my Stefan rescue again." i tell him

"No problem, its kinda fun being around you i always end up the hero." he jokes just as the ding goes off. i grab his pizza and hand it to him.

We sit in silence while we eat, then when we're finally done Damon turns to me, "I know we're supposed to go look at engagement rings today but that seemed a little impersonal to me so i decided to do this properly."

i don't really understand what he means till he get down on one knee right there in my kitchen. He puts his and out and in it is a beautiful ring. Two princess cut diamonds on either side of an ice blue round sapphire, almost the color of his eyes, the band intertwines together going back and forth making it look like the infinitely sign. i soon as i see it i am completely in love with this ring.

"Oh my god" i whisper

"Does that mean i did good? Do you like it?" he looks a little venerable like he's actually worried i wont like it. _**As**__**If.**_

"It's, it's beautiful" i say breathlessly and his entire face lights up as he stands and slides it on my finger, and it fits perfectly.

"See it was made for you." he tells me with his smile still in place.

"Where did you get it?" i ask him still staring down at it.

"It was my mom's


	6. Chapter 6 the screaming dress

It's been two weeks since Damon gave me his mom's ring; two weeks since he left with his father on a business trip. Caroline and Bonnie were captivated by my ring and were swooning when i told them about Damon proposing.

Wedding planning is coming along nicely, because of the business trip and the fact that they wanted the wedding to happen within a month i wasn't able to have an engagement party, i was a little disappointed about that but didn't let it show. Today I'm going Dress shopping with my bridesmaids and mother.

"What about this one Darling?" my mother asks coming towards me with a dress that even Grandma Gilbert wouldn't put on.

"Oh come on Miranda that dress was probably made in 1932. Let her at least pick something out from this decade." Aunt Jenna complained making the other girls snicker. Since my confrontation with mother, she had been letting me make all the decisions, i decided on only having three bridesmaids: Aunt Jenna, Bonnie, and Caroline.

i had already picked out the girls dresses a few days before but was having difficulty deciding on my own dress, mom was wanting me to wear conservative and grandma-ish but I hadn't found anything that spoke to me yet.

"Well excuse me for wanting my daughter to look respectful on her wedding day" mom replied haughtily. I decided to just walk away before this escalated into a yelling match.

As i walk from isle to isle of dresses i think back to two weeks before when Damon proposed, and i remember our conversation after he gave me the ring.

_"Your mother's ring?" i gasp _

_"Yes. She left it for me, told me to give it to the girl that i would one day marry. I'm glad that girl was you." he tells her giving her his trade-mark smirk; i can tell that there is a chance i could fall in love with my future husband._

_"But are you sure you want to give it to me?" i worry biting my lip gently; i see his eye darken as they fasten in on my lips. _

_**Oh please kiss me!**__ I think as i watch him lean in closer, and suddenly he is capturing my mouth in a panty dropping kiss. I can feel his perfect warm lips light a fire against mine and his tongue running along my lower lip begging for entrance. I'm about to open my mouth in acceptance when he pulls away._

I'm brought back to the present by the sound of my aunt and mom still arguing, and just when I'm about to turn around and give up something catches my eye. I stop and turn back around to look at the most amazing ivory silk dress. stretching all the way to the floor, backless but with two pieces of silk that criss-crosses across the upper back. Dipping low in the front with a diamond shaped jewel resting in the center. i was looking for a dress that spoke to me but... this one is screaming, outright yelling at me to buy it; that or my aunt and mom are really loud. I've found my dress... This was made for me

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**Sorry it took so long to update, I've got some family drama going on right now. this is just a filler chapter. i will try to have the next chapter up at least by Wednesday. oh and i hoped you all liked the kiss.**


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